• Understand the strategic role of organizational design, i.e., gain a deep understanding of how organizational design shapes the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance of organizations in a rapidly evolving global context. • Engage critically with core concepts: explore and critically analyse theories, such as the multi-contingency approach, while reflecting on their practical applications in diverse organizational settings. • Develop problem-framing and problem-solving skills: cultivate the ability to critical assess and address complex and discontinuous challenges, considering factors such as culture, leadership, technology, AI, and environmental uncertainty.

Knowledge and Understanding • Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical foundations of organizational design, including key models and frameworks. • They will learn to identify and evaluate the critical factors influencing organizational architecture, technology, AI, strategy, decision-making, communication, and leadership. • By integrating diverse academic and practical resources (e.g., research papers, case studies, AI-based tools), students will enhance their ability to critically assess and creatively address organizational challenges. Knowledge Application • Students will apply theoretical models to real-world organizational contexts, assessing the fit between strategic goals and organizational contingencies. • They will engage in hands-on case analyses, using traditional and AI-based tools and frameworks to diagnose organizational challenges and propose actionable solutions tailored to specific contexts. • Interactive discussions and exercises will foster the skills needed to relate organizational design to various industries and cultural settings. Critical Thinking and Judgment • The course encourages students to adopt a questioning and evaluative approach – enquiry-based learning – to analyse organizational designs also using AI-based tools. • Students will be able to critically assess the interplay of various contingencies, identifying gaps and opportunities for organizational improvement. • Students will also explore frontier approaches, e.g., organizational neuroscience, through a critical lens, weighing their practical implications and potential limitations. Communication Skills • Students will master key concepts in organizational design. • Opportunities for collaborative learning and group discussions will enhance their ability to communicate complex ideas effectively and persuasively. Learning Skills • The course equips students with the tools to evaluate and synthesize multiple sources of information with the aim to foster independent learning and critical thinking. • Students will develop the ability to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications, forming well-rounded solutions to real-world organizational challenges. • By the end of the course, students will be empowered to explore and innovate in the field of organizational design, both academically and professionally.

This course delves into organizational design as a critical managerial approach to addressing the complex and discontinuous challenges modern organizations face. The course’s theoretical foundation is built on various perspectives with the aim to develop a multi-faceted framework for identifying contingencies that impact organizational performance – e.g., environment, strategy, technology, AI, leadership styles, and knowledge systems. Through these multiple perspectives, the course explores processes and mechanisms at both the individual and organizational levels that drive effective organisational design. The course emphasizes both a theoretical and practical understanding of how contingencies interact and how they can be evaluated and realigned to foster efficient and effective organizational design. Fit and fitness are key concepts of this course. Whereas, fit indicates the alignment between the organization and its internal and external elements that ensure optimal efficiency at a given point, fitness reflects the organization’s ability to maintain and improve that alignment in response or in anticipation to change.

• Attending students o mandatory readings and cases used during the course (listed on a week-by-week bases). • Non attending students: o mandatory readings and cases used during the course (listed on a week-by-week bases). o Richard M. Burton, Borge Obel, Dorthe Dojbak Hakonsson (2020). Organizational Design: A Step-by-Step Approach (4th Edition). 2020.

Course architecture and educational approach Course logic. This is a multi-voice course: students are exposed to academic as well as practitioner classes. This multi-voice perspective encourages students to develop a thoughtful, analytical, and critical mindset. Weekly rhythm. Each week includes two complementary sessions. The Analytical Framing session introduces the conceptual, theoretical and empirical foundations of the topic through research-based and interactive teaching. The Contextual Enquiry session places those ideas in motion through case discussion, live cases, guest speakers, simulations, AI-assisted exercises, and structured class debate. The aim is to move continuously between concepts and contexts, models and situations, analytical rigour and managerial judgement. Indeed, during the course the Contextual Enquiry session may precede the Analytical Framing one. Depending on the topic of the session, the course also contemplates Meet the Expert sessions, i.e., a 20’ discussion with an academics or a practitioner who has developed and refined relevant research or practical experience on a specific subject contemplated in the course syllabus. Students will work with academic papers, managerial cases, short videos, live cases and guest speakers. Particular attention will be paid to the capacity to frame problems before solving them.

Assessment architecture The assessment design preserves the distinction between unaided judgement and AI-assisted work. Attending students – to qualify as an attending you are supposed to attend at least 70% of the sessions, as registered via the Luiss app at the beginning of each session; you are assessed through a variety of methods with the aim to evaluate your understanding (analytical and critical) of the key concepts of the course. The use of AI-based tools is encouraged and favoured to support your learning processes, with the understanding that this course enables you to develop and refine skills to govern such tools and therefore you will attend practice and exam sessions where AI is not allowed and practice and exam sessions where AI is allowed (see below). Component Weight Focus Participation and contribution 10% Engagement in plenary, group discussion, group presentations and class activities on an organisational design challenge: quality of the questions asked are key! Midterm written exercise 20% This is three-stage in-class written assignment focused an organisational design challenge. Students are required to frame and solve the challenge: first individually and then in a group. Please note these two are pen-&-paper assignments, no technology allowed – i.e., smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, laptops and the likes. The third stage allows students to use AI. Emphasis on conceptual clarity and problem framing. Final oral exam 70% Individual and group oral discussion integrating the 12-sessions of the course. Non-attending students: the final grade will be based on a final oral exam (60%) as well as on a written exam (40%) on the extended version of the programme. Please note that non-attending students are required to fill in a form on the Luiss website.

Master thesis assignment is based on a proposal elaborated and presented by the student. The proposal (max 2 pages) must include: abstract, the research question, a potential table of content, and main references. Students involved in internship may well develop a thesis proposal based on the internship project. Timing – the proposal should be emailed to the course leader at least 6 months before the planned graduation session.